Attorney General Bill Schuette appears on 'The O'Reilly Factor'

By John Kennett jkennett@mdn.net

Published
6:12 am EST, Friday, January 17, 2014

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette was a guest on the “The O’Reilly Factor” Thursday night as he discussed the case of convicted child rapist Neal Erickson, a West Branch teacher who molested a 12-year-old boy for three years.

FOXNews correspondent Jesse Watters attempted to interview Steven Cook, head of the Michigan Education Association teachers’ union. Fox News reported that Cook is attempting to get a $10,000 severance payment for Erickson, who has been sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.

Schuette said he will continue to oppose Cook’s efforts.

“This is an outrageous case,” said Schuette. “And let me say that the local prosecutor and local judge did a great job, and so did the school board. This is a case where a young man was raped, molested. And, now, this rapist and molester wants to collect a reward of $10,000. And I’m slamming the door on that. That’s not going to happen.”

Thursday, Schuette filed a complaint that will freeze any assets of Erickson and would capture any severance pay that might be awarded.

“Secondly, if an arbitration decision is made that wrongly would award this guy $10,000, we’ll intervene and appeal sooner than you can say ‘Bill O’Reilly,’” stated Schuette. “So, we’re all over this case.”

“Who oversees the union?” asked O’Reilly.

“There’s a clause in the contract that says if the teacher is suspended for conduct unbecoming or whatever, all the things that he’s entitled to go up in smoke,” said Schuette. “This is a local union contract.”

Any severance pay would come from teachers’ dues.

“So, paying for this child rapist — imagine if you were a teacher and you were appalled and outraged by one of your own raping a student, and then you’re forced to pay,” said O’Reilly.

For the full interview, visit: foxnews.com/on-air/oreilly/2014/01/17/michigan-teachers-union-scandal-latest